President of Ecuador Daniel Noboa met with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon Monday to discuss mutual United States-Ecuador cooperation in the fight against narco-terrorism and transnational organized crime.
Noboa traveled to the United States last week, planning a four-day itinerary that concluded with his meeting with Hegseth on Monday. The two reportedly discussed Noboa’s efforts to eradicate narco-terrorism and illegal mining organizations. The office of the president of Ecuador highlighted that the United States is one of Ecuador’s main security, trade, and diplomatic partners.
Hegseth told Noboa that the Department of War is committed to countering threats that both the United States and Ecuador face from narco-terrorism, countering their drug-trafficking networks. The Secretary of War emphasized that the Western Hemisphere is a top priority for President Donald Trump and the Department of War.
Hegseth pointed out that the Department of War is not “about putting things on paper; it’s about operationalizing capabilities.” As such, he said, it is prioritizing the threats faced by both countries. “And that’s eradicating narco-terrorist trafficking and destroying those networks in Ecuador and throughout Central and South America,” he stressed.
“You have been a model partner with us to counter these networks that threaten your homeland, that threaten our homeland and the security of our shared hemisphere. So, Mr. President, thank you for that steadfast commitment,” Hegseth said.
“From President Trump as well, who is well aware of how much the country of Ecuador has stepped up in this realm and that – nothing means more to President Trump than countries who are willing to carry their own weight, and we feel the same way,” he continued.
Noboa said that his country is not only concerned with carrying its own weight in the joint fight against international crime, but that it is also seeking to help with “influencing the region, helping others, because there’s never a point where all nations in America are aligned.”
“Because on the other side, evil always works together and they always find a way of working together in our nations,” Noboa emphasized.
After being re-elected in 2025, Noboa immediately reached out to President Trump to establish a security alliance and seek U.S. help to curb the flow of U.S-bound drugs transiting through Ecuadorian territory and nearby waters. Ecuador is one of the Latin American countries that joined President Donald Trump’s “Shield of the Americas” regional security initiative.
Over the past year, Noboa and his government have worked closely with the United States to fight narco-terrorist groups. In March, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened its first office in Ecuador. In that same month, Ecuador and the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced the start of anti-narco-terrorism military operations in Ecuadorian territory. Days later, a joint U.S.-Ecuador military operation successfully seized 1.9 tons of presumptively U.S.-bound cocaine.
The Ecuadorian presidential office detailed that, as part of his visit to the United States, Noboa also met with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, with whom he reviewed progress on bilateral cooperation and new initiatives to strengthen the fight against organized crime.
“These meetings reflect the national government’s commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships that contribute to Ecuador’s security, investment, and development,” the Ecuadorian president’s communications ministry said in a statement.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.